


Even Unto the Stars

by abigail89



Series: The Shotgun Proposal [2]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: M/M, aliens get Jim in trouble again, crazy pregnancy shit, damn those hormones, m-preg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-31
Updated: 2015-01-08
Packaged: 2018-03-04 14:28:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3071552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abigail89/pseuds/abigail89
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Contact with a new member of the Federation has an unexpected effect on Jim Kirk.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part I

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. I know! Me! Writing a male pregnancy, a trope I don’t even like much. But this story came to me one night over a year ago, and WeepingNaiad said to go for it. I thought this would have a lot of comedy to it, but it’s turned out more wistful and poignant.  
> 2\. This story is set in my “The Shotgun Proposal” ‘verse, in which Leonard and Jim are nearing the end of their active mission careers. Suffice it to say, they are older (and maybe wiser) and have been married for a few years.  
> 3\. Thanks to my brain twin, writing partner, and savior WeepingNaiad for pushing me through this. It was intended for last year’s Space Wrapped, and then life blew up and so did the story. Thank all the stars we intended this fest to be low-stress and low-guilt. My eternal thanks to her for beta’ing and correcting the wonky grammar. All remaining mistakes are mine alone.  
> 4\. Part II will be up soon.  
> 5\. _Star Trek_ and its characters belong to CBS, Gene Roddenberry, etc., blahblahblah. Anything you don’t recognize belongs to me. But I’m not making any money off of this thing, because God knows, no one would pay for it.
> 
>  

_And that which sings and contemplates in you is still dwelling within the bounds of that first moment which scattered the stars into space._ ~Kahlil Gibran

 

*~*

 _Communications to Dr. McCoy. You have a sub-space video request coming through_ , Commander Uhura says with a hint of a smile in her voice.

Leonard McCoy looks up from the PADD he’s been intentionally inputting case notes on, his eyes uncrossing as he does.

“Who the hell wants to talk to me, especially over a vid comm?” he asks gruffly. The words are out of his mouth before he can stop them.

Uhura’s gentle laugh comes over the main comm. _I apologize for interrupting you, Leo, but it’s Joanna._

Now he feels like a ten-ton heel. “Sorry about that, Nyota. Just caught up in the medical side of my brain here. Patch her through, please.”

_Of course. See you at dinner._

The vid screen lights up, and his baby girl’s face, a drawn, pale one, comes through the weird sub-space distortion before it finally stabilizes. “Jo! You okay, sweetheart?”

“Yeah, Dad. How are you?”

“Never mind me, what the hell is going on with you? You look terrible.”

“Thanks. Just what I needed to hear.” Her eyes brighten and her voice wavers.

Leo shakes his head and rubs his eyes. “I’m sorry. Been a long day here and I’m not at my best. But, sweetheart, you’re pale and look like you haven’t sleep in a while. So I’ll ask again, are you all right?”

Joanna sighs and gives him a brave smile. “Nothing that shouldn’t clear up in about six weeks.”

 _Six weeks??_ Leo’s diagnostic brain goes into overdrive, searching through his prodigious memory banks for symptoms of known space-borne diseases. _Space flu? Last only two weeks. Regnor virus? Three weeks at the most. Andorian shingles? Eyeballs aren’t bleeding. H2H23? A week of misery but. . . ._

“Dad, stop it. I’m not sick. I’m pregnant.” Joanna grins again, this time it reaches into her eyes.

That stops Leo’s brain cold. _Pregnant? Oh--OH!_ “Oh, Jo, baby. Sweetheart.” He reaches out and touches the vid screen with his finger tips. Every cell in his body aches to touch her, hold her in this moment. _My baby is having a baby._ “Oh, my word,” he says, swallowing hard. “A baby!”

Jo gives him a smile, but tears form in her eyes. “Yep. Dan and I thought since we’re going to be here on Starbase 5 for the next four years for sure, now would be a good time to try. The clinic here is first rate and a couple of new OB/GYN doctors just transferred in.”

“Who?”

“Karen McDowell and Tah k’Haj.”

Leo nods, pleased. “That’s great. I trained with McDowell--she’s sharp and a helluva doctor. K’Haj I know only by reputation around Starfleet and she’s excellent. McDowell likes doing research, which is why she’s there, I suppose." He nods to himself, making mental notes to do further inquiries as soon as he can, especially on K’Haj.

“Dad, I know. I just saw k’Haj and she says I’m fine, but goddamn, the morning sickness is awful.” She ends with a little sob and tears flow.

“Oh, darlin’, I am so sorry.” He leans in. “Your mama had a terrible time of it, too. Have you talked to her?”

Jo mops at her tears with a handkerchief, then blows her nose. “No, she’s still on some diplomatic mission in the Beta quadrant. Besides, you know she's terrible at this sort of thing." She heaves a deep sigh. "I'm so miserable, Dad. I can't keep anything down, including water. Dr. k'Haj wants to put me on an IV if I'm still this bad off by tomorrow. Do you have any suggestions?"

Leo thinks. God, Joce had been miserable, too, except she had gotten pregnant during July, ensuring she'd been sick as a dog during the steaming, horrific Georgia summer. They hadn't gone out for weeks; Joce missed some part of her work day most days; she'd been cranky and crabby and weepy. Nothing he'd suggested (culled from every friend/enemy/stranger/female at the hospital) had alleviated the all-day, every-single-day nausea. Except--

"Jo-Jo, can the replicator produce those ginger candies, the ones from Alpha Centauri?"

"You mean _X'thandu Bites_?"

"That's it. Your mom would suck on those and found a little relief. I remember having to hunt all over Atlanta for them at times. Think I bought out a store's entire stash once we knew they were okay for her to have. The ginger in them is even more powerful that the Terran variety."

"Oh, God, that's great," Joanna exclaims. "I haven't had one of those in years. I'll give it a shot."

It lifts his heart to see her smile and know that he'd remembered some good times with Joce. It hadn't been easy for them, but they had been excited about the baby once she'd settled into the pregnancy. It had deflected some of their arguing over other issues, though after the arrival of Joanna, they'd started right back into the same old patterns.

Leo hears his door chime. "Enter!"

Jim Kirk's blond head appears. "Hey, heard Jo was on the horn," he says as he strides in and comes around the desk. He puts his hands on Leo's shoulders and leans over one side. "Jo! Good to see you!"

"Hi, Jim!" she says. "Got something to tell you."

*~*

Jim emerges from the steamy head, toweling his hair dry. He's indulged in a rare, real-water shower instead of a sonic, and really enjoyed it. He sits on the side of the bed and rubs his belly.

He's been feeling kind of off for a few weeks. It had started soon after the diplomatic mission to Planet M-32, a first-contact he'd initiated three years past. The name of the planet was unpronounceable as was the native language, hence the delay in conversation about Federation membership. The first-contact linguistics team had worked during that time to parse the written and spoken languages and it had been a true challenge. However, the planet had been deemed a priority for the Federation: M-32's primary humanoid species is highly advanced with outstanding technology and an evolved social structure. They will be an asset to the Federation and its member systems, especially since it is in a mineral-rich part of the farthest flung section of the Alpha quadrant. Communication is still faulty at best; but the beings laugh good naturedly at the Federation's improper wording and mispronunciations during negotiations and are more than helpful at making corrections to the universal translator. They, however, have little difficulty adapting to Federation standard. The mission had been all about finalizing the membership documents and trade agreements and naming their planet with a more Federation-friendly word--Greenstar.

The Greenstar natives had loved it, and all wore clothing in their favorite green color to the official ceremony. The food and drinks had been mostly green, except for an ancient ceremonial drink, an intoxicating liquid that had been deemed safe for human consumption by the Enterprise's food safety team. And since Jim was the highest ranking member of the Federation there, he had had to drink; it had tasted nasty which he had masterfully masked, and later, safely in his private quarters he'd thrown it up. He had to drink it several more times the next day, though he'd tolerated it somewhat better, throwing up only once. He didn't bother his Chief Medical officer with that bit of boring news, though now, some weeks later, he's sort of sorry he hadn't.

_Bones is going to kill me._

As he lays back, he rubs his stomach again. He knows he's lost some weight, since he isn't eating much. This time, though, he feels a hard spot in the lower left of his abdomen, small and just slightly painful, but definitely new. _Well, fuck._

Sighing, he sits up again and reaches for clean underwear and clothes, knowing what he needs to do next. _This'll be real pleasant_ , he thinks sourly.

*

"And you didn't think that maybe I should know about this, Jim? No, I'm just your CMO _and_ your husband. How many times do I have to tell you it's important for you to report anything-- any change, any cough, any hiccup, any fever, and yes, any puking, after a visit to an alien planet!!"

Leo's been on this rant for a good five minutes, and Jim's letting it go. Leo needs to say all the words, express all the anger, tell Jim he's a moron at least ten times before they can move on. As rants go, this is impressive, mostly because Jim's not bleeding out all over the sickbay floor. _Hey, it's a good thing, right?_

"Jesus Fucking Christ, no, it's _not good_ , you moron. How many times do we have to do this before you learn?"

_Oops, did I say that out loud?_

"And don't even roll your eyes at me, Captain Shithead, because you're the one who violated regs. All of them. Even the ones I didn't write! And yes, I wrote 95% of them because in the twenty-four years we've been out here on this boat, you've invented new ones. Dammit, Jim! _When will you learn?_ "

Silence drops, except for the sound of Leo's harsh, heavy breathing.

"So," Jim says, rubbing his hands together, "now that you've gotten that off your chest, can you get on with the exam so I can get to the bridge?"

Probably not the thing to say at this moment. But Jim figures he'd give it a go, mostly because he really did need to head to the bridge.

Leo glares at him, slaps the probe on his face, and scans him aggressively with the tricorder. In silence.

 _So this is how it's gonna be_. "Well, if you go further down, you'll find this hard place...."

Leo, silently, aggressively, pushes Jim back onto the bio bed and then slaps the monitor "on" button. The monitor lights up and beeps.

"Shit!" Leo exclaims. "Jim, what the hell is that? Did you know about it?"

"It's why I'm here," Jim says, craning his neck around to see the readout. Sure enough, the lump is a red dot on the body on the scan, right where it resides in his body.

Leo makes several adjustments on the monitor and then palpates the slight swelling gently with the tips of his fingers. "Does this hurt?"

Jim stirs. "Sort of. But only because you're pushing on it. If I leave it alone, it's just...there."

Leo's face is a study in concentration. Jim can practically see every neuron firing. Finally, the doctor picks up the tricorder, resets it, and he places the probe on Jim's belly.

A soft, steady whooshing sound emanates from the device; Jim looks at Leo, who looks at his tricorder and then at Jim.

"It's a fetus," Leo whispers.

*

"The captain is carrying a human male fetus, about eight weeks," Leo says.

"What are you going to do about it?" Admiral Christopher Pike adds over the vid-comm link.

"Those are two separate questions that require separate answers," Leo replies. "The first will be explored by the medical, science and diplomatic research teams. According to Jim's logs we're certain this happened some time around the stay at Greenstar. One team has orders to gather everything they can about the reproduction, rituals, physiology rites of these people, focusing on that ceremonial drink Jim ingested and made him puke a couple of times."

"And the second?" Pike demands.

Leo looks around the table at each being present for this high-level meeting, and then finally lands on Jim, who is looking down at his clasped hands. "The second can only be answered by Jim, and only Jim."

"Bullshit!" Pike says. "Dr. McCoy, there is only one thing to do. This is clearly an alien--"

"No, it's not," Leo replies forcefully. "The fetus is one-hundred percent human. Genetic analysis shows it is mine and Jim's. The fact that Jim is pregnant _is_ , though, one to be explored with a culture and a species that is a member of the Federation. We'll get the answers on that score. Even if I have to go down to that fucking planet and knock heads together to get them."

"Well, since they're members of the Federation, I suggest we ask politely first and maybe knock heads together second," Pike says wryly.

Leo snorts. "Ok, people. You have your orders. Mr. Spock will be coordinating all the reports and documents you gather up. I want to get to the bottom of this well before we're due to leave this part of space.

Everyone nods and pushes away from the large conference table. Everyone but Jim.

"You're wrong, Bones," Jim says quietly. "This is a decision we need to make. Together." He raises his eyes to meet Leo's.

"You know I'll support any decision you reach," Leo replies, taking Jim's hand.

"How are you feeling, son?" Pike asks.

Jim shrugs. "Awful. Can't keep much down, despite the chef's best efforts. She's taken my lack of appetite as a personal affront." At that, he smiles.

"On that note, who all knows?"

"No one," Leo says. "Except for Spock, Uhura, and probably Sulu and Chekov, those we’ve served the longest with. We've been saying the captain has an on-going digestion issue that will simply have to resolve itself in due time. However, once we start with all this research on the Greenstar people, it will have to come out, so we're getting ready for that shitstorm. As Jim's CMO I will say I had to hook him up to an IV yesterday and will probably do so again today. He nibbles on crackers." He looks away and swallows hard. "This sure ain't how my partner eats." Leo reaches for Jim's hand and takes it in his. "We're gonna get you through this--if this is what you want."

"Jim," Pike says, his voice full of compassion, "Leo is right. This is your decision. And I'll support you, no matter what. It'll probably take some doing with some members of the admiralty, but I swear to you, if you want to keep this child, I will make sure you keep your commission."

"Thank you, sir," Jim whispers, squeezing Leo's hand.

"Thanks, Admiral," Leo says. "Enterprise out." He touches the view screen and Pike disappears.

For a long moment, Jim continues to sit at the head of the conference table; he realizes he's holding Leo's hand tightly. "Sorry," he mutters as he releases it.

"Darlin'," Leo says, moving his chair closer to Jim's. He takes his hand again. "It's going to be all right."

Jim doesn't respond verbally, but his face conveys everything he's thinking and feeling--from anger to confusion to despair. His eyes, beautiful pools of blue Leo loves so much, brighten all of a sudden. Jim raises his free hand to squeeze the bridge of his nose; a tear slides down his cheek.

"Jim..."

"I don't know what to do, Bones," Jim says, his voice tight. "Everything in me tells me this is wrong. It's not supposed to be like this. I’m a violation of everything human: I should _not_ be pregnant.” He wipes the tear away violently.

Leo wants badly to respond but doesn’t. If there’s anything he’s learned about Jim Kirk in the decades they’ve been together, it’s that Jim will let him know when he’s finished speaking his mind.

“It’s not the order of things. Human males do not get pregnant. And yet, here I am, knocked up and carrying a baby boy.” Jim gives a half-laugh, half-sob. “The universe is a wondrous place, Bones. I always thought there were certain immutable laws: Newton’s laws of thermodynamics, the speed of light is always 186000 miles per second, and you never turn down pecan pie. And now, this. God, if God exists, has one helluva sense of humor.”

Leo seizes on that one. “God had nothing to do with this. There is a scientific, medical explanation for it. It flies in the face of everything we know to be true for our species, until one Lt. Commander Charles Tucker came into contact with a Xyrillian female who impregnated him. Oh, yeah, forgot about that, did you? Well, the difference here is that Xyrillians and humans have similar physiologies and biology; humans and the natives of Greenstar do not. I’ve got teams of your crew going over everything, Jim--chemistry, linguistics, medical, science--everything to find out what the hell happened here.” He takes Jim in his arms. “Darlin’, we are so far beyond what we as a species know that everything is up for grabs. I have seen things since you dragged me out on this boat that I never in my wildest imagination thought were possible. I’ve seen lizard beings, beings with blue skin and antennae, beings with split skulls who should not under any human medical explanation be alive. For fuck’s sake, we have a Horta for an ensign. Who tells jokes! And yet, here we are. So why _can’t_ a boy from Iowa be impregnated with the seed of the man who loves him even unto the stars?”

Jim curls into Leo’s chest, rubbing his nose on Leo’s blue tunic. He sighs, and pulls away, his eyes bright but filled with love. “That’s what makes this so difficult. A part of you is growing inside me. And that gives me such--strength and hope and...and amazement. That there’s this life that’s ours. And I can’t terminate it because I want to know this boy. Because I know he’ll be just as amazing and brilliant as you.”

Leo feels his heart leap. “No, darlin’, you are the amazing one. This little one will be amazing because you loved him enough to give him life.”

Jim lays his head on Leo’s shoulder. “I guess we’re having a baby.”

Leo kisses his hair. “Yes, we are.”

“Just wish I felt better.”

Leo shifts himself so Jim can be in his arms. “This will pass. And if it doesn’t, then I’ll figure something out.”

“God, I feel like I need to hurl all day long.”

“Have you?”

Jim looks up at him. Leo can see the worry, the exhaustion in his eyes. “Not since this morning, twice. But it’s only 1100.”

Leo taps the tabletop with his finger. “Tell you what--you’re on immediate medical leave for the next forty-eight hours. I’m going to hook you up to an IV in our quarters, give you an anti-emetic and put you to bed.” Jim’s face screws up in protest. “Now look. I’m not sayin’ you have to sleep all that time, but just give your body a break. And your baby.” He cups Jim’s cheek with his warm hand.

Leo’s words hit home because then Jim’s face registers relief. “All right. But I have a couple of meetings with command later today.”

“Well, that’s fine,” Leo says as they walk from the conference room, and slowly make their way down the corridor to the turbo-lift. The fact that Jim is allowing him to support him with an arm about his waist speaks volumes to Leo. Jim never allows Leo, or anyone, to put him in this position, one showing that he cannot support himself, and it fills Leo with true concern. “Just put on your tunic and have Uhura patch the call through to our quarters. I won’t be around until later tonight.”

They enter the turbo-lift and Leo says, “Deck four.” Jim leans heavily into him. “You all right?”

Jim nods wordlessly and takes a deep breath. “Trying not to be sick.”

The doors of the lift hiss open. Leo checks the corridor quicky. Jim’s always been careful about showing any weakness around the crew. So far he’s avoided throwing up on the bridge. Spock had figured out something was going on almost immediately, and he needed Spock to be in the loop so that he can help find out what the hell had happened. Uhura had cottoned on early, and probably Chekov, who is way too smart for his own good. Jim had elected to tell Scotty since he might need to step into command the ship. But he's been adamant that no one else know his condition. Aboard the Enterprise, as big as she is, scuttlebutt and rumor flow as freely as the gin from the still no one and everyone knows is hidden deep in engineering.

Fortunately their quarters are near the lift, and Leo quickly moves Jim there. Warmth and low light greet them. He helps Jim into the bedroom and sits him down. "Still need to puke?" He asks.

Jim doesn't do or say anything for a few seconds, but then gets up. He goes into the head, and Leo follows. "No, Bones, just need to pee, like I have to do a hundred times a day."

"All right then," Leo exits but stays near; he hears water flowing, silence, then wretching.

 _Should’ve counted on that_ , he thinks as he opens the door to help his husband.

*~*

“Leo, what the hell are you going to do?”

Dr. Philip Boyce, Starfleet Surgeon General (retired) would not be denied his opinion any longer. Leo’s not upset that Pike told him; Boyce can be trusted, and Leo knew, in his heart, that Pike would share the news of Jim’s surprise pregnancy and his decision to keep the baby with his husband out of genuine concern. If truth were to be told, Leo is sort of glad Boyce is in on it--the more brilliant minds figuring this out, the better.

However, Boyce’s stern confrontation with him--doctor to doctor--has set Leo’s teeth on edge. “I’m gonna take care of him best I can, Phil. We all are. I’ve been in touch with Karen McDowell on Starbase 5. She’s received all the records we’ve generated and is on it. We’re not due to put in there for a while yet, but when we do, Jim will meet with her.”

“McDowell’s good,” Boyce says. “Look, I’m sorry but I’m worried about him and I’m concerned what the fallout’s gonna bring.”

“Starfleet can just go fuck itself,” Leo says with vehemence. “It ain’t about Starfleet. Jim, God willing, will have this baby and everything else will fall into place.”

Boyce reaches for a PADD and looks at the file. “Spock’s final report about the event at Greenstar points to a ceremonial drink that had an unintended fertility affect on Jim.”

“I’m willing to go on a little faith here. The chemists did a thorough analysis on it and figured the combination of the ingredients with an enzyme in the human digestive system produced a powerful fertility drug.” Leo pauses. “Wonder what the fallout will be with regard to Federation welcoming ceremonies and other contact missions?”

“That kind of info is way above my pay grade,” Boyce answers. “I guess Jim and everyone involved in the diplomatic corps will be more careful after this.”

Leo snorts. “Not likely. It’s an ‘unfortunate side-effect’ in his words. You know Jim; he goes where angels fear to tread.”

“Well, let’s hope he remembers this before putting anything alien in his mouth.”

Leo clearly wants to laugh at Boyce’s unintended humorous comment ( _If only he knew!_ ), but lets it go. “Now that I’ve figured out I need to use anti-rejection drugs in combination with an anti-nausea, the puking has lessened and he feels somewhat better.”

Boyce nods his head as he swipes over to Leo’s medical notes on Jim. “His labs are improving. Let me know if you need anything else. I know you don’t keep a lot of these drugs in your pharmacy, and if you don’t have a talented compounder, it might be tricky. I can get them loaded onto an emergency supply ship if need be.”

“Thanks. We’ve got a couple of really good medical chemists aboard.” For whom Leo is eternally thankful.

Boyce continues his perusal of Leo’s notes. “At least it looks like a normal pregnancy.” He looks into the vid-camera. “Does Winona know yet?”

Leo shakes his head vigorously. “No, and don’t y’all go telling her. He absolutely does not want her anywhere near him when this baby is ready. The few people who know on Enterprise have been sworn to secrecy, and when it gets to where even the lowliest of the crewmen know, that’ll be 437 too many souls.”

“I’m sure Uhura and her team have a PR response just in case, though?”

“Oh, that was one of the first things attended to. But we don’t want to use it unless we have to.”

“Which is why Command is sending you to the outer edge of the quadrant for the next few months, thanks to Chris’s influence.”

“Jim isn’t thrilled about that change in the mission orders, but he understands why Chris shoved it through Command.” Leo shakes his head. “I’m not too happy about being out of radio contact for that long. Scotty and Chekov assure us we can get into contact within a day if we need to.”

“Okay, Leo,” Boyce says with a smile. “Give Jim my best and you call me if you need anything. Take care.”

“Thanks.”

“And congratulations on becoming a papa and a grandfather, all at the same time.” Boyce grins. “That’s gotta be a weird feeling.”

Leo rolls his eyes. “You have no idea.”

*~*

Dr. Karen McDowell has see a lot of things since joining Starfleet, but this is a first. She feels the lump in Captain James T. Kirk’s abdomen, a little left of center since the fetus implanted into the abdominal wall and large intestine; the placenta is fragile because it’s not surrounded by the thick, protective muscle of a uterus. But Jim’s abdominal muscles have adapted and wrapped around most of the growing miracle. His immune system, slightly depressed due to the drugs, has finally stopped attacking the baby, and she notes that Leo has been backing off on the dosages. She’s carefully studied the extensive, frequent scans Dr. McCoy has taken. It’s remarkable, really. As if the human body cannot provide any more surprises, it does something like this.

“Your baby is doing really well, Captain,” she finally says, finishing her physical exam, and looking down at Jim who’s lying shirtless on the table. “At twenty-five weeks, your child is healthy and completely normal, as in he’s hitting every single growth and developmental mark. ”Your blood work is good, but I’m going to adjust the anti-rejection meds Leonard has been giving you. We use the class of drugs I’m going to give you with inter-species pregnancies. Sometimes a human female will experience this sort of rejection through an abnormality in the genetic makeup of her baby. I know that sounds a little counterintuitive since your baby is one-hundred percent, totally human, but this works well, and was designed specifically for pregnancy. For you, I’m going to add a second drug that will help reduce the immunological response.” She checks the PADD for details. “You’ve lost way more weight than I like, but it’s not unusual, given how sick you’ve been. All in all, your husband has done everything I would have, and then some. Do you have any questions?”

Jim snorts. “Hundreds. But most are of the existential variety. Medically, no. Bones has been pretty on top of it and explained it all to me.”

“Any pain in your breasts?”

“Yes, and can I say that has been the weirdest thing ever?”

“I can imagine,” McDowell says with compassion. “I’m sure your husband has explained why that is.”

“Damn those prolactin hormones.”

“May I?” When Jim nods she gently palpates the slightly swollen breasts. “The scans reveal there are very few milk ducts, which is normal for human males. I don’t think you’ll be able to produce any milk to breastfeed your son.”

“And I’m really okay with that,” Jim says, his voice strained. He’s looking straight up at the ceiling, avoiding eye contact with the doctor. “I know you’re supposed to want to, but all I can think about is getting my body back.” He pauses and bites his lip. “Does that make me a bad parent?”

“Absolutely not. Just about every female I assist in their pregnancy says that, sometimes in much more colorful language.” That brings a smile to Jim’s face. “I know you’re going to be sick of hearing this, but this is quite a medical miracle.”

Jim’s face relaxes. “And a surprise of epic proportions. I mean, Bones and I thought about having a child together, but then we convinced ourselves Joanna was enough, especially with us being in Starfleet and being out in uncharted space most of the time. Raising a kid wasn’t practical with our jobs unless one or both of us left the service, and--well, it wasn’t to be. Especially at our ages.”

“And that is something that concerns me as well, to be honest,” McDowell says. “You’re in excellent health, but we do need to stay cognizant of the fact that the pregnancy is putting a strain on your forty-eight year old body.”

“As Bones constantly reminds me,” Jim says, as he rolls to his side to sit up.

“I’ll step away for you to get dressed,” she says. “Let’s talk in my office when you’re ready. I’ll call for your husband to join us.”

As she leaves, Jim feels a rush of enormous relief and gratitude. He likes McDowell. She’s young, but knows her stuff. She also has a sense of humor and grew up in Nebraska. Even more, Bones trusts her. _Good enough for me_ , he thinks as he pulls on the larger-than-usual gold tunic.

And wow, that had been a real shocker, the morning in the tenth week when he’d discovered the command tunic would no longer fit over his expanding abdomen. He’d visited the quartermaster who issued him a new, larger tunic without question. At fifteen weeks, it was more than apparent, and ship-wide knowledge, that he was pregnant and a next-size-up tunic wasn’t working. The sympathetic quartermaster took his measurements and said with a smile, “I can fix this, no problem.” And she had. In just a few hours, she had remade several tunics for him to accommodate his belly. She had promised to look after him as the baby grew, to make sure he looked “captainly.” “We could do this with the replicator,” she’d told him, “but customizing your tunics by hand will ensure that it fits correctly.”

The tunic does fit well, and leaves enough room around his stomach. He has the best crew ever.

Carefully, he lowers himself down from the bio-bed, and looks at the readout screen that still shows two heartbeats, two neuro-scans, and two bodies, one very, very small.

And suddenly, he feels a hard, sharp kick. He immediately puts his hand on his belly, right where the doctor had been pressing. He’s been feeling movement from his baby for a while, kind of like a gurgling or squirming. But today is the first time it’s actually kicked him.

_Shit just got real, little dude._

*

“Jim?”

A beloved face comes from behind the partition between the public and private spaces in their quarters on Enterprise, still docked at Starbase 5. “Jo!” he says quietly enthusiastic, and makes to sit up in bed.

“No, Jim,” Joanna McCoy says, coming to his side. “Stay there.” Jim lays back when she sits beside him. “Dad just told me what’s been going on.”

Jim takes her hand in his. “Some crazy shit, isn’t it?”

She nods. “Dad says you’ve been really sick, though.”

“So have you.”

“Yeah, but my body is designed to do this.”

Jim gives her a wan smile. “Bones told me you’re better now.”

“I’m still a little wobbly in the morning. Felt the baby move yet?”

Jim’s smile widens as he nods. “Little sucker is kicking like an Organian goat.”

“I’m due about the same time you are, you know. Wouldn’t it be wild if our babies were born on the same day?”

“I don’t know if Bones could handle that. But being so close together means we’ll be here. Your dad has petitioned Command to change our orders so we can have earlier shore leave, making sure I’m here when the baby needs to come out. So, you’re going to have your busy-body dad around for the birth of your child.”

Joanna places a hand on his baby lump. “I don’t mind. You’ll both be here, and that’s awesome.”

“And I can hold my son and granddaugher at the same time.”

Joanna laughs quietly. “And I finally get a sibling.”

“Great. I can send him to you when he turns fifteen and resents having old men for parents.” His smile fades. “Jo, I’m sorry about this.”

“What do you mean? What have you done to be sorry about?”

“Stealing the attention from you. Your dad should be focused on you and being a grandpa, not being a dad all over.” Jim feels the prickling in the corners of his eyes-- _Dammit_.

“Hey,” Joanna says. She pulls her legs up to lay beside him. “Don’t you ever feel like that. This is not your fault. It’s not any fault at all. It just _is_ , Jim. I love you and I’m so happy for all of us! We’re just worried about you, and the baby.”

Jim turns away. “I wanted to dote on you and spoil my granddaughter.” He stops, but then says, “I wanted to revel in being a grandfather, not have to raise a kid. I mean, I know it’s gonna be fine and he’ll be awesome, and my crew are all so excited about having a little kid on board, but. . . it’s not the life I imagined, especially at our age.”

Joanna rolls over onto her side to spoon with him, throwing her arm about him. “Uncle Jim, since when does life go the way we want?” When he doesn’t reply, she continues: “I always imagined I’d have a mom and a dad when I grew up, but that’s not what I got.”

“Jo, I’m--”

“No, let me finish,” she says. “It’s not the life I got, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good life. I had a great childhood. And it’s that childhood that made me into who I am today; I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I can’t imagine who I’d be if I had had that other life; I probably wouldn’t be out here in space because you know Dad would’ve argued hard against my joining Starfleet.” She pokes him, and Jim chuckles. “You know it’s true. And if I’d lived that other life, he would’ve never met you, and I know Dad would not be the man he is. So whenever y’all start second guessing raising a son on a starship, like Dad is doing right now, just think about this: we live the life we’re given, not the life that could have been.”

“For that way lies madness, indeed,” Jim says. He takes her hand and kisses her warm palm. “I know. I’ve thought seriously about retiring after I have him. But I’d hate it, not being in space. Maybe I’ll feel differently later. Right now, I know we’ve decided to stay on the Enterprise, come what may.”

“Come what may,” she repeats.

*

An hour later, Leo returns to their quarters to find his daughter and his husband napping, hands joined. The scene makes his heart swell with relief and joy.

_End Part I_  



	2. Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Contact with a new member of the Federation has an unexpected effect on Jim Kirk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the 2013 & 2014 space_wrapped fest.  
> Many, many thanks to the ever-gracious Weepingnaiad for her help on this. All remaining mistakes are my own. YAY! Finished!

"Klingon warbird coming up hard to port, Captain," Commander Sulu says.

"We haven't strayed into the Neutral Zone, have we?" Jim asks, looking up from the PADD he's been reading. 

"No, sir, we have not," Lt. Commander Chekov replies. "I did not see them coming."

"It's all right, Chekov," Jim says. "Uhura, anything?"

She shakes her head, listening intently. "No hailing frequency."

"Hmm." Jim considers his next move. "Well, I’m certainly not feeling guilty about being this close to the Zone. Send a message to Starfleet Command we've been snuck up on."

Jim settles himself more comfortably in the chair and tugs on his tunic. This one's getting snug about the waist--again. _Man, this little sucker is getting big fast,_ he thinks.

A moment later, Uhura says, "Done, sir, and hailing frequencies open."

"This is Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise. To the commander of the Klingon warbird, please state the nature of your business." 

A few seconds later, the scowling visage of Commander Kor fills the screen. "Captain Kirk," he drawls, "what are you doing out here so close to Klingon space?"

"Just having a look around, mapping some giant gas balls. But you knew that, didn't you, Kor?"

"Oh, I may have heard something about that, but I didn't believe it." He gives Jim a wolfish grin.

"Aw, now, Kor, why not? Starfleet is, after all, a scientific, exploration, and peacekeeping organization. I don't always have to shoot my way out of a situation."

Kor spins in his chair. “I find that quite hard to believe, seeing as your record belies that statement.”

The baby chooses that moment to give Jim a healthy kick in the ribs. He grabs his side and grimaces.

“What’s the matter, Kirk? Do you disagree, or are Klingons in general distasteful to you?”

“Oh, no. Klingons are some of my favorite beings out here in the galaxy. My week isn’t complete without seeing at least one Bird of Prey cross our path.” Jim lets out a soft “Oof” when the baby lands a good one to his lower left intestine. He hits the comm on his chair. “Yeoman, could you bring me a cup of chamomile tea, please?”

“Right away, sir!” he replies.

“Are you ill, Captain?” Kor is grinning.

“Just a touch of indigestion. Nothing to worry about, but thanks for your concern, Kor.” Jim leans back in his chair.  
“So, Commander, tell you what’s going to happen here. We’re going to stay in this sector and map the giant stars my stellar cartography section is having wet dreams about for the next day or so. You’re more than welcome to stick around. We’ll be happy to share our findings so far with your astronomy team if you’d like. This way, we get to do that scientific exploration thing that Starfleet is all about, we both learn a little more about the stars, and I get to enjoy the cup of tea that I’m about to be served. Ah, thank you, yeoman.” Jim takes the steaming mug of tea, one of the only things that reliably calms his stomach.

The young man murmurs and hands him the mug, then stands behind Jim’s chair.

“A cup of warnog sounds good about now, I think,” Kor says. He barks out an order in Klingon to an officer sitting off to his right. There is a brief exchange between the Commander and the off-screen officer, but for the life of him, Jim can’t tell if it’s an angry one or not. Kor turns back to the screen. "Kirk, you may want to change your beverage. This tea you are drinking does not seem to be good for you."

Jim stops midway through a sip. "Why do you say that?"

"You appear to be putting on weight." Harsh guffaws from Kor's crew come through the comm link. 

"Maybe, but at least I still have my boyish good looks. Have a nice day, Kor." Jim turns to Uhura and gives her the cut-off signal. "Wow. He's in a good mood today."

"Captain, they're moving off," Sulu says. 

"Good, though I didn’t think they were just marking time until the entire fleet showed up." 

"How did you figure that, Captain?" Chekov asks.

"Knowing him for fifteen years. If he'd been spoiling for a fight, we'd be shooting right now. How much more time does stellar cartography need, Spock?"

"Another fourteen point six hours, Captain," Spock says immediately.

"Tell them to step it up. Let's get the hell outta here ASAP," Jim says, logging into his report file.

"Yes, sir."

"Getting fat, my ass," Jim mutters. Then, he realizes that Kor could see the baby. "Am I getting fat?" he asks no one in particular.

"No, sir," the entire bridge crew says in unison and with conviction.

"Good answer," Jim says as he tugs on his tunic. Again.

He sips his tea and breathes through the kicking baby. Usually the tea, or anything warm, settles him down, but even at the end of the cup, the baby is restless. Jim rubs his forehead, feeling a headache coming on; then his vision blurs. “Um, Uhura, could you call Dr. McCoy to the bridge?” he asks, right before he passes out.

*

“Your blood pressure is through the roof, Jim,” Leo says, reading the monitor above the bio-bed. “I’m going to give you something to bring it down, but the best course of action is for you to rest.”

Jim rubs his hands over his face. “Damn Klingons.”

“Indeed,” Leo mutters darkly. “They always show up at the best times. I was kinda hoping we could get through the rest of the pregnancy without them finding us.”

Jim laughs. “I think Kor isn’t happy unless he’s poking at us. To his credit, he was pretty civil. How often does that happen?”

“Hear he thinks you’re getting fat,” Leo runs the probe of the tricorder over the squirming lump. “You’re not, by the way. You’ve gained only a total of five kilos, which isn’t nearly enough at thirty weeks. You’re barely keeping the two of you fed.” He places his hand gently on the lump. “He’s active today.”

“He’s active all the time,” Jim says.

“Ten more weeks, and then we’ll get to meet him.”

“I’ve met him and he can kick like a Naussican trooper. Damn.” Jim groans.

“I can give you a pain reliever to take the edge off if you want,” Leo says, eyeing him. “Give you a chance at a good night’s sleep.”

Jim shakes his head. “No. Don’t want to do anything to hurt the little guy.”

“He’s fine. I’m more concerned about his father, though. You’re tired and you look even worse.” Leo runs his hand through Jim’s hair, leans over and kisses his forehead. “WIsh you’d let me give you something so you can sleep.”

“Would you be offering your daughter the same thing?” Jim rolls over on his side; as he does, the bio-bed hisses to adjust for the shift.

“Absolutely. I talked to her about taking something at night. Your joints are mushy because of the hormones which makes your bones grate in different ways.” Leo lowers his voice. “Jim, please. I promise I won’t give you anything that will hurt our baby, and it’ll give you some relief.”

Jim sighs, and closes his eyes. “All right.”

“Thank you.”

They make their way back to their quarters. The lights are dim. “I’ve asked engineering to lower the heat to keep you more comfortable,” Leo says.

Jim nods. Exhaustion washes through him like a tidal wave. “Am I ever going to feel normal again, Bones?”

“Just as soon as you give birth to that squirmer. I have no doubt everything will go back to the way it should be.”

They change into sleepwear. Jim’s taken to wearing an oversized t-shirt from one of the burly Marines who had played football for SFA. Teeth brushed, hands washed, Jim sits on the side of the bed.

“Ready?” Leo asks, dialing up the dosage of a mild pain reliever and sleep aid.

“Not yet. I want to kiss you.”

Leo blinks. “You just gave me a kiss. In the bathroom.”

“No I want to kiss you like a husband, not this pathetic, washout out, shell….”

“Jim….”

“Sorry.” Jim raises his eyes. In the low light, they sparkle. “We haven’t had sex in ages. I haven’t been keeping up my marriage vow.”

“Jim, it’s not necessary.”

“It is! To me,” Jim says heatedly. “Just because I don’t feel like having sex, doesn’t mean you have to be celibate.”

Leo gathers him closely. “Hey, don’t presume for me.” He sighs into Jim’s bright hair, now thicker than it has been in years. He knows Jim will be sad to lose that extra hair, grown in the onslaught of hormones. “Pregnancy isn’t happening just to you; it’s happening to me as well. It’s a well-documented fact that couples change for these nine months. While I’ve always been your advocate and friend, I’m now in the role of your protector. Happened to me while Joce was carrying Joanna. I’ve converted from lover to warrior, protecting my mate and child from harm, however that manifests. That includes protecting you from me. It’s all about the need to procreate and to bring the product of our genes into the world.”

Jim smiles. “Warrior, huh?”

Leo kisses his temple. “Yep, I’m here to defend you from all harm. Had I been on the bridge today, I would’ve quite possibly blown Kor from the stars.”

“Whoa! Down, boy.”

“That’s right. No one fucks with my man and lives to tell the tale,” Leo says.

Jim shifts, his face screwing up in discomfort. “Well, let’s put planning Kor’s demise on hold. David wants in on the action.”

“David? Is that the name you’re thinking of?” Leo pulls back to regard him.

Jim nods. “David George Kirk-McCoy. To honor our fathers.”

Leo’s eyes brighten. “I love it. Thank you.”

He leans in and kisses Jim sweetly and with deep, deep love. Despite what he’d just told him, the kiss quickly turns heated, passionate. It’s been so long since, as Jim pointed out, they’d kissed like _husbands_. Leo pushes Jim back onto the bed gently as Jim clutches his arms. Jim’s breathing speeds up. Leo plunges his tongue into his mouth over and over and over, savoring the taste of _Jim_ , a taste he’s craved, has craved since their first kiss all those years ago. Jim makes a high, needy noise deep in his throat, and it goes straight to Leo’s long-neglected, quiescent cock, making it pulse and fill after so many weeks. Worry over Jim’s existence had forced him to put aside any carnal desire, but with Jim moaning in his arms, his desire has sprung to life, reminding him that he is a sexual being who loves and desires the man who is carrying his child.

“Bones, please,” Jim begs.

Leo seeks and finds Jim’s dick under the engorged belly, hot and heavy and leaking copiously. “I got you, darlin’.” He rubs the warm fluid on the shaft and tugs on it. “Let go, darlin’. Let go.”

He grabs his own cock and roughly works it; it causes him to cry out. Jim comes quickly, shaking violently as he does. Leo follows, shooting between Jim’s legs for far longer than he has in ages. It’s perfect and a relief, releasing a tight band in his chest he didn’t know needed releasing. _It’s a physiological response to an outside stimuli_ , he tells himself, mostly to quell the guilt at making a liar of himself inside the span of about two minutes. But Jim is smiling wickedly at him, breathing a little hand, clutching at his bicep.

“I really needed that,” he says.

“To remind you that you’re a red-blooded male?”

“Precisely.” And then he yawns hugely. “This baby daddy, though, is really tired.” He yawns again. “Otherwise I’d jump right up and get something to clean us up.”

Without a word, Leo rolls off the bed and goes to the head. “I’m giving you a pass this time, seeing as you’ve had a hard day,” he calls, expecting a smartass comment. But none comes. He pokes his head out of the door and sees Jim rolled onto his left side, hand jammed under his chin, fast asleep.

Leo smiles in relief. He quickly cleans himself, then Jim, who doesn’t even move.

*~*

“These are your quarters,” the young yeoman says as the door opens. “Bathroom to the left. Towels and bedding are in the storage closet there. The comm unit is over the desk and the replicator is here.” She places her hand on the wall beside her. “If you need anything, my comm number is on the desk.”

“Thank you, yeoman,” Leo says. “I’m sure we’ll be quite comfortable.”

Jim looks around the three small rooms on Starbase 5. “Wish we were closer to Jo and Dan.”

“Well, you need to be close to the medical bay,” Leo says, hoisting a travel cube onto the bed, opening it, and taking folded clothes from it to the closet. “Jo and Dan know where we are. Did you see the shirts for David?”

Leo holds up a white onesie with the Starfleet delta and “I Run This Ship” printed on it. Jim laughs. “I think we received every variation of that sentiment on all of them.”

“Except for the ones that say ‘My Daddy is a Crabby Bastard’.”

“There aren’t any that say that!”

Leo chuckles. “Pretty sure there are.”

*

“Darlin’, you went to entirely too much trouble,” Leo says. “Should’ve let me do dinner.”

“You would’ve replicated all of it,” Joanna accuses. “You know it’s not Christmas Eve without Grandma’s chicken pot pie and peppermint chocolate chip cookies.”

“And just how did you find the ingredients for those way out here?” her father asks as he helps himself to another cookie.

“Supply ship came in last week. And I brought some things with me that I absolutely cannot live without, like peppermint extract, things that the replicator just doesn’t quite do justice.”

“Proud of you for thinking ahead.”

Joanna laughs. “Because I do it so seldom? When Mom heard we were headed out here, she started packing a travel cube for us. Things like bath salts, lip balm, four huge bags of real chocolate chips--those went really fast, by the way. Dan loves my cookies, and so does everyone else in my lab.”

Leo hugs her closely. “I’m glad it’s working out for both of you. It’s amazing you found an oven here.”

“The dining hall is pretty well stocked with anything we’d need to cook. Baking night is an event around here. I have to sign up to use the oven weeks in advance.” She groans and rubs her back. “I’ll be really happy to have this baby if only to not have an aching back. It’s bad today.”

Leo gives her an appraising look. “Yeah? When did it get bad today?”

“Woke up with it. Guess she’s getting ready to make her appearance. I’ve been having Braxton Hicks contractions for about a week now. But don’t worry, Dad. She’s still got a week to go. Dad? Where are you going?”

Leo quickly returns with his tricorder and runs it over her belly. “I knew it. You’re in labor!”

Joana’s eyes grow wide. “No way.” She stops. “Really? I just thought it was more false contractions. Or, something I ate.”

Leo puts his hand on the swell of her body. “No doubt about it. I can feel the contractions. They’re pretty steady.” He takes her hand, leading her to a chair. As he does, she gives a little cry. 

“What?”

She looks at him, terrified. “I think my water just broke.”

He runs the tricorder over her and then looks at the floor. “Yep. That’s exactly what happened. You’re officially in labor.”

“Dammit!” she cries.

“What? Why?”

“I don’t want her to be born on Christmas Day. It was bad enough she was due on New Year’s.” Inexplicably, she bursts into tears. Leo gathers her in his arms.

“What?” Jim says, waddling into the kitchen. “Bones, what did you do?”

“It not him, Jim,” Joanna says. “I’m in labor.”

“What?” Dan enters behind Jim with an armload of plates. “Jo?”

“Here,” Leo says, releasing Joanna, “let me have those dishes. Take your wife.”

Joanna hugs her husband. “Our baby is coming.” And fresh tears break out.

Dan enfolds her. “Aww, sweetie. Hey, this is exciting, yeah? We’ve waited so long to meet our daughter.”

“You’re not the one that’s got to birth her,” Jo says, her voice wavering.

“You know what’s happening,” Dan says gently as he leads her from the kitchen. “The contractions have to move her along, and I’ll be there for every second, okay? Not gonna leave your side for a second--” His calm voice fades as they pass through to their bedroom to retrieve her birthing bag.

Leo watches his daughter’s retreating figure. Jim comes to stand beside him. “She’s okay?” Jim asks.

“Of course. It just took her by surprise, having Leah a week earlier than she’d planned. Once she’s processed it, she’ll be fine,” Leo says. “Dan’s gonna be with her.” He takes Jim’s hand in his. “She knows what’s happening.”

“Yeah, but knowing and experiencing are two entirely different things,” Jim says. “Having surgery when I’m injured and planning for it--well, excuse me, but I just got a little terrified myself.”

“Not gonna leave your side, not for a second,” Leo says. He kisses the back of Jim’s hand.

Jim nods. “I know,” Then, he says, “Bones, I want to be conscious when David is born. I know I said I wanted to be under, but there’s no real reason for it, is there?”

Leo is surprised. They’d discussed the surgical plan in minute details, between themselves and with Karen McDowell. They’d decided Jm would be fully anaesthetized, just in case something went wrong with extracting David or the placenta. They’d mapped the tangle of blood vessels surrounding and feeding the placenta, and it wasn’t going to be easy.

“I mean, I know you’ll be there and you’re his Papa, but I don’t want to miss the main event, especially after everything we’ve gone through together,” Jim whispers, shrugging. “After nine sometimes gruesome months, I want it to end hearing his first cry.”

Leo wraps Jim in his arms and holds on for a very long time. “Then that’s what we’ll do, darlin’, he says kissing Jim’s hair. “We’ll greet our son’s entrance into the universe together.”

*

“Dad!” Jo gasps.

“Keep breathing,” Dan offers helpfully. “A just a few seconds more. There. The contraction is finished.”

Jo falls back into the elevated bed and heaves a sigh. “Yeah, it’ll be a cold day in hell before I do this again. I mean, I knew it would hurt but damn, this _hurts_.”

“You can always take the pain meds,” Leo says. “It won’t compromise Leah at all.”

“Nope. Doing this old school.” She touches her belly. “Uh-oh, here comes another one.”

Dan gives her his hand and starts the timer as he watches the monitor above the bio bed. “Keep breathing, honey. This one is peaking quickly.”

Jim hovers near the door, one hand supporting his engorged belly. Leo leans over to kiss his daughter again as the contraction passes. Jo is flushed and sweating, despite Dan’s constant dabbing at her face with a cool cloth. When a contraction hits again, her pretty face crumples and pinches in pain and concentration.

“You won’t have to go through labor,” Dr. McDowell says, walking up to him.

“I wouldn’t say that,” Jim says pressing the heel of his hand into his side. “He’s been kicking like crazy.”

“More than usual?”

Jim nods and sucks in a breath sharply. “Yeah. This feels different.”

“How long has this been going on? McDowell leads him to a chair and makes him sit. She picks up a tricorder. “Whoa. He is active. But….hm…”

She goes to get another tricorder. “Been having problems with that one all day. Let’s try this one.” It lights up and beeps. “Jim, how are you feeling other than beaten to a pulp?”

Jim drops his head into his hand. “Just...strange. A little nauseated, to tell the truth. A little shaky.”

“A little feverish, too. You’re running a temperature,” she states. “I’m going to check in with Jo, then I’m taking you to an exam room. Do not move, all right?”

Jim nods, but stays silent, his hand covering his eyes. In truth, he’s felt awful for most of the night. After Jo and Dan went off to the clinic, he and Leo had tried to get some sleep. Leo nodded right off, but Jim had slept fitfully. David had been active and then he’d felt some sharp pains. Every time David had kicked in one particular place, it was like getting jabbed with a _d’k tahg_ and then someone pouring alcohol onto the wound. Jim had been able to manipulate David externally to direct his kicking elsewhere and the pain subsided until it was just an ache. He didn’t give it any more thought until this moment.

“Jim?”

Leo’s soft voice interrupts his musings. “Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t feeling well?”

Jim shrugs. “Because I haven’t felt well for months, that’s why. Because every day has brought a new way to feel weird and unbalanced and just….not myself. And you’ve been amazing and devoted every single moment of every single day. Just this once, I wanted you to focus that devotion on your-- _our_ daughter and our grandchild.”

“Jim,” Leo says as his eyes fill. “Jim, darlin’, don’t you know by now I have enough love for you both, for all of us? Because you taught me to love again, and love expands to fill every place it needs to be.”

Jim doesn’t--can’t respond. He’s overwhelmed with joy and exhaustion. “Bones, I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”

“Then this is it.” Leo motions for a nurse to join them. “Nurse Um’bach is going to sit with with you while I go check on Jo and then talk to Karen to get things rolling, okay, darlin’?” He nods at her as he leaves, and the nurse runs a tricorder over him.

“Oh, my, Captain,” she says. “I think you are in labor.”

Jim gives a rueful laugh. “Kind of impossible.”

Her cool hand closes around his, the one on his belly, the one trying to convince his baby to stop kicking and just stay still for a little while longer. “No, it is not. All babies know when they need to come into the universe.” Her lilting accent and hint of excitement soothes him for a moment.

“Well, I wish this one wouldn’t horn in on his niece’s birthday.” He grimaces.

Dr. McDowell joins them, squatting beside his chair. “Jim, I’m gonna set up an I.V. with an antibiotic to address the fever. Dr. k’Haj is on her way in now to take over Joanna’s delivery. Leo and I think we need to take David as soon as we know what the source of your fever is.”

“No, he needs to stay in longer. I mean, yes, I want this to end, but not at his expense,” Jim says weakly.

“Jim, two weeks early poses no harm to him. Our neonatologist is the best in the Starfleet. David will be in very good hands.” Her voice is calm, confident and soothing. “I’m much more concerned about you.”

Jim gives a small huff of laughter. “You know me. I’m tough as tritanium.”

“That may be, but your body is telling us otherwise.” She rises. “Here comes the gurney,” she says. “We’re going to take good care of you.”

*

“Oh, God, Dad! What’s wrong with Jim?” Jo says through sweat and pain.

Leo schools his face into a smile as he enters the room. “Sympathy labor, I think.”

“He didn’t look so good, Leo,” Dan says. “Okay, honey, here comes another one.”

“No shit, Sherlock,” Jo growls. She scrunches up her face. “Mmm, yeah. Big one.” She starts breathing an off-kilter rhythm; her eyes are closed as she concentrates.

Dr. k’Haj, a small woman from Indonesia on Earth enters and sits at the foot of the bed. “Are you ready to have a baby?” She runs the tricorder over Jo’s body and smiles. “Oh, yes! You are fully dilated.”

“Hell, yeah,” Jo says as she shifts to the end of the bed to allow the nurses and Dan to break it down into a chair. “Very ready for this to be over.”

“She is very ready, too. Her vitals are excellent, her head is engaged beautifully. Next contraction, I want you to push.” Dr. k’Haj gives an encouraging pat to Jo’s leg. 

Jo breathes slowly and deeply. “Oh, yay.”

Leo leans over and kisses her forehead. “Yes, yay. Your baby is almost here.”

“Yeah, except for the hard part.”

“And you’ve never once backed down from a fight,” Leo says. “You are the strongest person I’ve ever known.”

A nurse comes into the room. As he does, Leo hears a familiar shout, and his heart skips a beat. “Jim?”

“You are needed with Dr. McDowell. sir.”

“Go, Dad,” Jo says through gritted teeth. “Oh, boy, here it comes!”

“Got’cha!” Dan says from his place behind her. “Come on, girls!” He pushed her forward so she can curl around her belly and counts: “One-two-three. . . .”

Leo leaves his struggling daughter as she continues on her journey, confident she is in the very best of care. But Jim’s shout sends a shiver down his spine.

“Shit.”

He pushes open the door to find Jim straining; the muscles in his neck popping as he works against the pain. “Let it out, Jim. Just scream,” McDowell says. She’s holding onto Jim’s arm as a nurse inserts the I.V. needle and tapes it down. “Hypospray!” Another nurse hands her the instrument and she deploys the medication; the nurse hands her another ‘spray as the first nurse attaches and hangs a bag of saline and antibiotic. Jim is breathing hard as Leo joins them and takes his hand.

“Jim, I want to give you a muscle relaxant,” she says.

“Don’t knock me out!” Jim says. His voice is weak and thready, but determined.

“Not going to,” McDowell assures him. “But this will go a whole lot easier if your muscles aren’t all bunched up.”

Jim quietens and his face goes slack. “Okay, but I want to watch my son--” He drops off.

“Wow. He is really exhausted,” Leo says. “It usually takes enough bialium to put down a horse.”

“Well, I didn’t give him nearly that much. Leo, Jim’s going septic. There’s a massive infection in his gut where the placenta has torn away from the large intestine,” McDowell says as she holds up a PADD with a tricorder image. “Here, here and here.”

“Shit, three tears.”

“Yeah. We’ve got to take the baby right now.” 

Leo nods. “Absolutely.”

She depresses button on the communications unit on the wall. “This is McDowell. I need a surgical team and an isolette in room three, stat.”

“I want to help,” Leo says. “You take the baby and I’ll repair the intestine. I know Jim’s innards like the back of my own hand.”

McDowell looks relieved. “I was hoping you’d say that. The baby may need some attention once he’s out, so I could use the backup.”

Leo and McDowell head for the surgical prep room change. “I’d love to call my own people in for this, but I don’t want to pull them away from their fun,” Leo says.

“Leo, if you want someone from your crew to assist, I know they’d want to. Call them,” McDowell says. “But you need to do it right now.”

Leo detours to the wall communication unit and punches in an extension. “McCoy to Chapel.”

Christine Chapel answers immediately. “Leo?”

“Can you come now? Jim’s having the baby.”

She gasps. “Don’t start without me.”

Ten minutes later, now in scrubs and clean, Christine joins Leo and McDowell, plus three surgical techs who are quickly setting out instruments and sterile drapes. Jim is on a surgical table; one tech is cleaning his abdomen. “We’re ready,” another tech says.

“‘How’s he doing?

The tech who is monitoring Jim looks up. “He’s...not too good. White count is climbing and the baby is rapidly going into distress.”

“Let’s go,” McDowell orders. “Does he have enough meds to be fully under? Good. Baby first, then McCoy will step in to repair the tears to the Captain’s gut. Chapel and Ahaja, you will assist McCoy. Ruby, you’re with the baby.”

“Yes, ma’am,” they say.

McDowell makes a clean incision, parts the skin and muscle to expose a white sac containing Jim’s squirming baby. She makes small, deft cuts to avoid the myriad of blood vessels in the sac then, comes upon a very thin membrane. “Remarkable,” she breathes. She snips through the membrane and pulls David George Kirk-McCoy out, butt first.

Leo looks over at his son, but only briefly as McDowell moves quickly to the isolette with its warming unit. He focuses on removing the placenta, finding the tears and resetting the stretched muscles. “How is he?” he asks.

“David is small, a little sluggish getting going out here in the world,” McDowell says. “I need Number 2 suction bulb. Ruby, pat his feet.”

Leo can hear the quiet commands while he carefully, painstakingly cuts away the miraculous placenta that Jim’s body produced to nourish and sustain his baby. “Save that,” he says to Chapel, who hands him a sterile bowl. 

“You bet,” she says, covering it with a sterile towel.

Leo runs his fingers over the soft tissue of the intestine. and finds a small tear. “Microsealer,” he says, holding out his hand. “Flush the cavity and suction.” Chapel immediately does as he requests and Leo repairs the first tear. “Next one,” he mutters, finds and repairs it. “Flood and suction.”

‘His pressure is dropping,” Tanner says.

“Doctor, there’s blood in the suctioned saline,” Chapel says.

The bag is red. “Shit. Hang a unit of A-positive whole blood,” Leo says as his stomach flips in terror. “Where’s the bleeding coming from?”

Chapel pulls open the incision to allow Leo to reach further in; she suctions more blood. “Underneath, doctor.”

Leo moves several loops and flips one. “Well done, there it is.” 

She cleanses and suctions the area as he seals the bleeding vessel. “There’s more damage here than the first scan showed.” Chapel reaches for a tricorder and scans again. “The bleeding is fresh, probably when we moved baby.”

Leo watched the tricorder then finds another bleeder, and another, and another. “Dammit, what’s going on? We were so careful.”

He methodically seals off all the bleeding vessels, the ones Jim’s body created to feed the pregnancy, and finds one more tear in the intestine. “What’re his numbers?”

“BP is 102 over 64. Red count is nearly to acceptable,” says Tanner. “He’s much better.”

“Good,” Leo says. 

“As surgeries go for Jim, that was pretty easy,” Chapel says, handing Leo the laser sealer.

“Let’s close up and move him to recovery. Chapel, you good to stay with him?”

“Yes, indeed”

“All right, everyone,” Leo says as he finishes sealing the skin on Jim’s body. “Thank you for your good work.”

Tanner and Chapel push out of the surgery and into the adjoining room; Leo follows along, his hand on Jim’s chest. He greets McDowell who is holding a small bundle.

“Once you wash up, how would you like to hold your son?” she asks.

A smile breaks across his face. “Glad to. Can I take him to meet his sister and niece?”

McDowell laughs. “Of course. Your Christmases from now on are going to be very full.”

“I’m counting on it.”

*~*

Jim blinks. He’s been awakened several times, but could never quite manage to keep his eyes open. He didn’t hurt so much, a first after surgery for him, but he’d felt so tired and worn out. _Getting old sucks,_ he remembers thinking at some point. This time, he hears a beloved, familiar voice, a low sweet singing.

He turns his head to find his husband holding a small white blanket. _Baby! David!_ “Bones,” he rasps. “Bones, is he okay?”

“Good evening, Jim,” Leo says softly. “I’m so glad you’re awake. You must’ve really needed the sleep.”

“What happened?”

“Well, things kind of got a little tense there, and I had to do surgery on you, so Karen and I had to put you under. I’m sorry.”

“Seems like old times.”

“For once you weren’t beaten to within an inch of your life or covered in phaser burns. It was a new experience for me.” Leo chuckles. “And, you get a door prize this time.” He stands and hands Jim his son, then raises the head of the biobed.

David’s eyes are opening and closing slowly, taking in everything. “Oh my god, Bones,” Jim whispers. “He’s perfect.”

“Yes, he is.” Leo slides the tiny knitted cap from David’s head to reveal a wild shock of blond hair. “Looks just like his daddy.”

Jim laughs quietly. “Look at the hair!" He touches the baby’s head, reveling in the silky strands. Then he strokes David’s tiny fist; it opens and grasps his finger tightly. “Wow, what a bruiser. Strong grip.”

“Yep. He’ll have that gorilla grip for a while longer and then it’ll fade. Totally normal for newborns.”

“So how old is he?”

“Six hours, forty-four minutes. And he’s already become fast friends with Leah, his niece, whom he beat into the world by a mere twenty minutes. As well as with Chapel and most of your crew.” David takes Leo’s proffered finger, too. “Everyone is completely enchanted by him. We’ve had quite a party while you slept.”

“Jo’s okay?”

“Oh, more than. She was still awake last I checked on her. Dan, though, was sacked out.”

Jim shakes his head and tsk’s in mock annoyance. “Men.”

“And he’s had his first nip of milk. Jo’s came in like--and I quote, _a goddamn freight train_ \--so she offered to nurse him.”

“A boob man already. I approve,” Jim says. “But shouldn’t she be saving it for Leah?”

“Not necessarily. The more she nurses, the more milk will come in. She’s insisting that we allow her to nurse him until we leave. But after that, we’ll switch him over to synthetic.”

“Should we start calling her Bessie?”

Leo quirks an eyebrow. “Only if you want to die,” he replies dryly.

Jim smiles broadly and his head falls back into the pillow. “And I would deserve to. She’s very generous to offer.”

“It’s a way for her to get to know the two new children in her life. She’s overjoyed you’re both okay. Except you’re not out of the woods just yet, Jim.” Leo leans in to kiss his temple. “You’ve got a fairly serious infection that we were only able to partially deal with. You’ll need to remain on the I.V. and bed rest for several more days.”

“Well, damn. Just when I get rid of one parasite, another one sets up shop.” Jim rubs his forehead. “And it’s giving me a pretty bitching headache.”

“That’s probably the mix of drugs we’ve hit you with today.” Leo rises and gently tugs David from Jim’s arms. “I’m going to give him to whichever crew person is next in line to hold him, and from the looks of it, Chapel is back for another turn, having beaten off the competition. I’m going to bunk him with Jo and Dan for the night, who have graciously consented to move to our quarters for the next few days, and will run night duty as needed.” He kisses Jim sweetly. “I’ll be in and out to visit you.” He smiles. “I love you so very much. Thank you for giving us David.”

“You’re welcome.” David chooses that moment to start fussing.

“About time you got hungry,” Leo says, kissing him. “And you’ve got a soggy diaper, also on schedule. Say night-night to your daddy. We’re gonna find you a snack. Commander Uhura will be by shortly with something for you to eat.”

“Aw, Bones, you didn’t press her into service, did you?”

“Nope. She volunteered to help out, as they all did. Your crew. They’re very happy for you, for us.” Leo gives him another smile and leaves.

Jim lies back in the bed, and closes his eyes. “Thank you,” he breathes.

*~*

_New Year’s Eve_

The dining hall of Starbase 5 is decorated with blue and white lights some of the engineers had replicated and adapted; some of the Enterprise staff, the only starship in dock during the Earth-based holiday season, had helped create garlands of greenery from the closest M-class planet while silver stars hung from the ceiling. The chef had opened the kitchen to residents to prepare their culture’s or family’s favorite recipes, which had led to some very fine, eclectic meals over the course of several days.

Tonight, all the beings on the starbase had come together to celebrate the Federation New Year. Everyone is dressed in colorful fabrics; some are utterly resplendent wearing jewels and outfits of their home worlds.

“Hey, Bones. Where’s David?”

Leo turns from the conversation he’s been having with Karen McDowell and Geoff M’Benga, and grins. His husband never fails to make his heart sing, but now, more than ever. Jim’s dressed in one of his shirts, a silky white one that’s a size up from what Jim usually wears. He’s still not cleared to start working out, but Leo’s promised to do a little tummy tuck to take up the stretched skin (“Vanity, Jim, but I’ll allow it, just this once,” he’d promised) when he’s fully recovered. “I’m not too sure. I gave him to Spock, who passed him onto Uhura pretty quickly, and then I think Rand may have had him after that.”

“Fine parents we are,” Jim says gruffly.

“I think he’s pretty safe here. Look, here comes Jo. I think she’s got him.”

“I do,” she says. “Scotty gave him to me about twenty minutes ago when he started squalling.” She hands a sleepy David to Jim. “I fed him, changed him, and he’s ready to go down.”

Jim hugs her and kisses her cheek. “What would I have done without you?”

“You would’ve been just fine, but I’m glad to help. Love you, Daddy Jim.”

“Love you, too, Jo-Bear.”

Jim pulls away from her, tears stinging his eyes. He’s been doing that a lot lately, tearing up at unexpected moments, at moments of unimaginable generosity and sweetness, courtesy of his awesome crew, even at moments of just staring at the beautiful baby asleep in his arms. “No, seriously. You have been a lifesaver, you and Dan and Leah. I swear David would not have made it without your help.”

“Geez, darlin’, I do know how to keep a baby alive,” Leo says, hugging his daughter. “But he is right. You have been amazing to us these past few days.”

“I won’t lie and say it was easy, but really, it wasn’t that much more work to take care of David. Besides he’s a good baby brother.”

“Just wait until next year when he’s pulling Leah’s hair and getting underfoot,” Leo says. “Stealing your tricorder….”

Jo laughs. “I’m looking forward to telling on him.” But then she grows wistful. “I’m going to miss the little booger. And you two. For the first time in forever I’ve felt like. . . I have a family.” She chokes out a sob and buries her face in Leo’s chest.

“Aw, now, sweetie, we are a family,” Leo says, rubbing her back as he holds her. “We’ll be in this sector for quite a while, so we’ll be back every few months.”

“Damn hormones,” she says, sniffing. “I’m a mess.”

“So am I,” Jim says, “and I can’t blame it on hormones.”

“Hey everyone!” Scotty calls out from somewhere in the dining hall. “It’s nearly Federation midnight, so grab ye something to drink and someone to kiss to ring in the new year!”

A cheer goes up from the party and there’s scramble for cup and mugs and a few bottles of Enterprise-made gin. Leo snags cups of punch provided by the starbase chef for the three of them. “Speaking of ringing in the new year, where’s Dan?”

“Home. Asleep with Leah on his chest,” Jo replies taking the cup from her father. “Even since he discovered he sleeps like the dead with her tucked under his chin, he can’t get enough of it. Neither can she. She’s been sleeping through six hours at a stretch.”

Jim and Leo look at each other. “We need to try that,” Jim says.

“Yes,” Leo agrees fervently.

The clock ticks down, and as it approaches twelve midnight, they find themselves surrounded by more of their Enterprise crewmates, their Enterprise _family_. When midnight arrives, they toast the new year and each other, with hugs and kisses. 

“Happy New Year, darlin’,” Leo says, giving Jim a quick kiss.

Jim sighs, and leans into his husband’s embrace. “No doubt it will be the happiest year ever.”

David sleeps through the revelries in his daddy’s arms.

*~*


End file.
